K-State Theatre to show ‘Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time’ this weekend

Ed Boone, played by Sam Neel, connects with his son Christopher - played by Cole Rockhold. K-State Theatre will present “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” this weekend. (Alex Todd | Collegian Media Group)

The play adaptation of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time” is the story about a incredibly smart boy named Christopher who uncovers a mystery and is sent on an adventure across London.

The play challenges an audience to leave those preconceived notions behind by focusing on the main character of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time,” Christopher.

Related:

Throughout the play it is hinted that Christopher is on the spectrum, mainly through his actions and interactions with the world around him. In the show, it does not say that he has autism, though.

“The word autism never even comes up,” said the show’s director Emily Trube, graduate student in drama therapy. “I think that’s why people love this play, it’s because Christopher isn’t operating under a label. We take him as he is.”

Trube went onto explain why she decided to produce the show and how she is bringing a unique appearance to its style.

“I picked this play because I love the subject matter and I thought it would offer a really unique educational opportunity for students, but also because I thought it would be a great opportunity to present something I’m calling relaxed performance,” Trube said.

Relaxed performances, or sensory accessible performances, are performances when the show’s lighting and sound design is made to be less overwhelming for audience members on the autism spectrum.

“I’m looking at it by asking, what if Christopher were to come to a play? As a production team, that’s what we want to keep in mind and adapt to make sure that he could enjoy the show as much as others,” Trube said.

While Trube’s new take on technical design is a great opportunity for those on the spectrum to experience a show, cast member Jacob Edelman-Dolan, junior in theatre, said he believes it has something for everyone.

“This story has been done a million times, but never quite like this,” Edelman-Dolan said. “The problems Christopher faces aren’t a stretch for another person to imagine, we can all see ourselves in Christopher.”

“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time” runs from Sept. 27 to Sept. 30 at the Purple Masque Theatre. Showings begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The Kansas State Collegian is the daily newspaper at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. Its content is reported, edited, and produced entirely by students, and students make up the advertising sales staff.
It is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday when classes are in session during the academic year, and weekly over the summer.